Rotary engine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. H. GRAHAM.

ROTARY ENGINE. No. 468,198. Patented Feb. 2, 1892.

III!

(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 2.

G. H. GRAHAM.

BOTARY BNdINE. No. 468,198. Patented Feb. 2, 1892.

WIT/VESSES: l

ATTORNEYS UNTTE) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE ll. GRAHAM, OF RIDGELAND, ILLINOIS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.` 468,198, dated February 2, 1892. Application lediJanuary 14, 1891. Renewed September 26, 1891. Serial No. 4061908. (No model.)

To all wil/m t may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. GRAHAM, of Ridgeland,in the county of Cook and State ofl Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Rotary Engine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object ol' the invention is to provide a new and improved rotary engine, which is simple and durable in construction and very effective in operation, utilizing the motive power to the fullest advantage.

The invention also consists in certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be hereinafter fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

i in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the iigures.

Figure l is a transverse section of the improvement on the line l l of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a face view of part of the piston. Fig. e is a sectional plan view of the reversing valve, and Fig. 5 is a like view ot' the same in a different position.

The improved rotary engine :is provided with a cylinder A, secured on a suitable base and provided with the heads C C', in which is j ournaled in suitable bearings and packingboxes the main shaft D. On the latter is secured within the cylinder A a piston E, somewhat less in diameter than the inside diameter of the cylinder A, so as to form a steamspace with the latter.

On the piston E is secured or formed a radially-extending head F, fitting closely to the inner surface of the cylinder A. (See Fig. 2.) From the two faces F and F2 of thehead F extend the curved flanges G and G', respectively, arranged near the ends of the head close to the inner sides of the cylinder A. The flanges G and G vanish on the periphery of the piston E at points the distance of which is equal to one-third of the entire circumference ot' the piston E. On the peripheral surface ot the piston E, located between the two vanishing points of the llanges G and G' and also on the flanges, as well as the peripheral surface ot the head F, are adapted to travel the valves 1l, H', and H2, arranged radially and fitted to slide in suitable bearin gs A', formed in the rim ofthe cylinderA. Theseveral valves y H, Il', and H2 are pressed inward in contact with the several surfaces mentioned by means of the exterior springs I. From the faces F and F2 ot' the head F extend in the piston E the ports a and Z1, respectively leading to op` posite sides of the piston, to register at all times with the annular cavities c and d, respectively formed on the inner surface of the heads C and C', respectively. Into the cavities c and d lead the pipes J and J', respectively, both opening into a four-way valve K, actuated by lever K, and provided with a steam-inlet pipe'L connected with a suitable source of steamlsupply. A valve LV in the said pipe L serves to regulate the admission of live steam to the valve K. The latter is also provided with an exhaust-,pipe N, arranged opposite the `inlet-pipe L, which with the latter stands at right angles tothe pipes J and J. `(See Figs. Il and 5.) When the valveK is in a position as shown in Fig. il, steam from the inlet-pipe L can pass through the valve K to the pipe J, while 'exhaust steam coming, up through the pipe J can pass through the valve K to the exhaustpipe N. When the operator shifts the valve K to the position shown in Fig. 5, then the steamdnlet pipe L connects with the pipe J', and the pipe J, which then carries the exhanst-steam, opens into the exhaust-pipe N.

The valves Il, H', and H2 are preferably of the construction shown, each being provided with a roller H3, adapted to travel on the pre viously-mentioned surfaces of the piston E, the flanges G, G', and the head F, so that the friction between the respective valves and the parts in contact with them is reduced to a minimum. Each roller H3 is journaled in a casing H4, fitted to slide in the bearing A', previously mentioned, and also in a casing O, secured to the outside of the cylinder A. Thespace between the top of the casing 1l1 and the roller H3 is preferably tilled with a lubricating material, so as to properly lubricate the roller H3. The top of the casing` ll* is rigidly connected with a valve-stem H, extending through a suitable stuffing-box in the top of the casing O, the outer end of the valve-stein Il6 being provided with a fork H7, in which are journaled the trunnions l of a lever I2, connected with springs l, which exert IOO lthus rotating the piston E in the direction of the arrow a. By this movement of the piston E the valve H2 is caused to slide outward, as its friction-roller H3 now travels up the flanges G" to finally pass onto the peripheral surface of the head F, at which timethe valve frictional roller H3 then standing at'the vanishing point of the anges G. Steam is then H, and on the further rotation of the piston l E the head' F passes the valve H2, so that the latter commences to slide inward, live steam issuing through the port a and then pressingagainst the valve H2 and the valve H. A further impulse is thus given to the piston slide outward, traveling up the flanges G, so thatthe steam confined between the two valves 1I and H can pass through the port b into. the cavity chaud from the latter through the pipe J to the exhaust-pipe N, past the valve K. The above-described operation is successively repeated with the several valves, so that a continuous rotary motionis imparted by the piston E to. the main driving-shaft D and the machinery connected therewith. Vhen the operator desires to reverse the engine, he moves the lever K', so as to change the position of the valve K, in the manner previously described, and illustrated' in Fig. 5. Live steam, entering the pipe L, passes past the valve K into the pipe J', and from the latter through the cavityd and port IJ into the cylinder A at the face F2 of the head F. l

If the piston E and the several valves are then in the position shown in Fig. 2, the live steam presses against the valve H2 and against the totally-closed valve H', so as to cause the piston E to revolve in the inverse direction of the arrow a. The exhaust then takes place through the port a, cavity c, and pipe J, which, by the valve K, is connected with the exhaust-pipe N.

Itwill be seen from the foregoing that the engine is very simple in construction and can be readily reversed at any time by merely changing the position of the valve K.

H has moved to its innermost` position, its

Having thus described myA invention, I

f claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentconfined between the head F and the valve l. In a rotary engine, a valve consisting in y a rect-angular casing having an open inner g side and a roller journaled in the ends of said l casing and projecting through its open side, a lubricant-receiving space beingA formed in rear of the roller, and a valve-stem, substan- V tially as set forth.

E. The valve H at this time commences to 2. In a rotary engine, a spring-pressed valve g comprising a casing, a friction-roller jou rnaled in the said casing, a valve stemextending lfrom the said casing, a 4lever pivoted on the i said valve-stein, springs. pressing against the said lever, and a lubricating material placed in the said casing in the rearof the said roller and described.

GEORGE H. GRAHAM.

Witnesses: f

MARSHALL WAIT, THOMAS GANNANE.

to lubricate the latter, substantiallyas shown 

